Formation of P - type semiconductor

Formation of P-type semiconductor

A P - type semiconductor is formed when a small amount of trivalent impurity is added to pure Germenium or silicon atom crystal. The addition of trivalent impurity produces a large no. of holes tothe host crystals. To explain the formation of P - type semiconductor, let us introduce a trivalent impurity into the lattice of a pure silicon crystal. The trivalent atom has 3 valance electrons and form covalent bonds with neighbouring atoms. The 4th bond is incomplete . the trivalent atom then attracts an electron from an adjacent atom there by completing the 4th bond and forming a hole in the adjacent atom. Since a trivalent impurity atom provides 1 hole, an enormous increase occurs in the number of holes. The impure crystals so obtained is called P - type

semiconductor where P represents the positive charge on hole. Thus the majority carrier in a P - type semiconductor are holes. Free electrons are also present in the P - type semiconductor. These are thermally generated and since they relatively few, they are called minority carriers. The trivalent impurity atoms are called acceptors because each accepts an electron when the atom is introduced into the host crystal.